My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 316 How to get into Chang'an?

A big win.

The blockade situation in Luoyang was eased.

So far, the war has been kept within a controllable range and has not caused too much trouble to the people.

Both Li Chengqian and Li Shimin exercised restraint.

After all, no matter who wins, these people are still their people.

Inside the Luoyang Palace.

Li Chengqian, who received the news, was having dinner with Crown Princess Su Yuer.

Ever since Su Yuer arrived in Luoyang, Li Chengqian has basically not taken care of the harem.

"Congratulations, Your Highness."

Su Yuer said with a smile.

Li Chengqian replied: "It's just the beginning, there's no need to be too happy."

"Li Jing is not that easy to deal with, and neither is Father."

The opponent is an emperor of all ages, so it is never too careful.

It doesn't mean that you can definitely defeat the enemy just by having artillery in your hands.

Li Chengqian also wanted to take these 120 cannons and go straight to Chang'an and enter through the Xuanwu Gate.

However, in reality, this is obviously impossible.

The first is the supply of ammunition.

Even if production had been at full capacity, the number of fire bombs was less than 3,000.

And the carrying capacity of these artillery pieces is also a problem.

There are always some defects in forging technology, and it is impossible to leapfrog into major development all at once.

The reason why we need to build 120 cannons is that with today's technology, the life of a cannon is only about 20 rounds.

This involves the issue of airtightness.

After firing twenty rounds, there would be a risk of the gun exploding easily.

Let’s talk about the journey.

It only took one day and one night to travel from Luoyang to Chang'an by galloping.

This is when the roads are clear.

Marching is completely different.

To go west from Luoyang, one must pass through five checkpoints.

The first pass is Hulao Pass, the second pass is Hangu Pass, the third pass is Tongguan Pass, the fourth pass is Puzhou Pass, and the fifth pass is Wugu Pass.

Hulao controls the northern foot of Mount Songshan and is the throat for the westward advance of the Central Plains.

But the real natural barrier is the ancient Xiaohan Road at the eastern end of Hangu Pass.

The road here is narrow, with cliffs on both sides as sharp as knives. The narrowest part is only wide enough for a bicycle to pass.

Hangu Pass has always been known as "one man guarding the pass against ten thousand men". It was here that Mengchangjun broke into Hangu Pass at night.

If Li Chengqian led a large army and forced his way into Chang'an.

Then the five checkpoints on the road are the real stumbling blocks.

And even if he broke through five passes and killed six generals, he finally arrived at Chang'an City.

How to blast open Chang'an is also a problem.

The outer city wall of Chang'an cannot be easily destroyed by artillery fire.

The depth alone is more than ten meters thick.

Even if all three thousand artillery shells were fired, it might not be able to collapse it.

You can bombard the city gate.

However, Li Shimin must have been well prepared. When Li Chengqian attacked Liaodong City, he blew up the city gate.

It was impossible for Li Shimin not to be on guard against this matter.

But if we cannot capture Chang'an in a short period of time.

What awaits Li Chengqian in the end is nothing but complete defeat.

Therefore, it is impossible for Li Chengqian to make a desperate attack on Chang'an.

The most reliable method is to take Luoyang as the foundation, Liaodong as the backup, advance step by step, and develop gradually.

This is building a high wall.

Li Chengqian is naturally more confident in developing the military economy.

Most people come to Luoyang to make a living because they see that only in Luoyang can they make money and live a good life.

This also means a large population.

Without people, nothing can be accomplished.

This is called storing up grain.

Then why not just declare yourself emperor?

Since you have already started the rebellion, why bother competing with Li Shimin for fame?

Since Li Chengqian did not claim to be emperor, he was the crown prince.

Even though he had been deposed, in the hearts of the common people, aristocratic families, and scholars, he was still the crown prince.

In the eyes of many people, this is a war between father and son rather than a war of changing dynasties, and the extent of the war will be limited to a certain range.

The most important thing is that as time goes by, the situation will only become increasingly favorable to Li Chengqian.

Because the Tang Dynasty always needs future heirs.

No matter how powerful Li Shimin is, he will eventually grow old.

This new dynasty needs a new successor.

Facing such a huge advantage over the emperor, the prince can still remain undefeated. Isn't he the most outstanding heir to this dynasty?

Over time, everyone's minds will change.

Moreover, as Luoyang's economy develops better and better, people will gradually realize whether allowing the prince to inherit the Tang Dynasty will lead the Tang Dynasty to a better future.

This is how Huan became king.

If Li Chengqian attacked Chang'an by force, he would be crazy and would ruin the good situation.

It should be noted that even if Li Shimin had an army of 200,000, it would be impossible for him to capture the eastern capital Luoyang in a short period of time.

Plus artillery garrison.

Not to mention 200,000, even 500,000 or a million troops would be useless.
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Chang'an, Tai Chi Hall.

Li Shimin sat high on the dragon throne.

Sitting below were Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Chu Suiliang, and Wei Zheng.

"His Majesty."

Zhang Sun Wuji bowed slightly and said, "Now that the Thunderbolt Fire is ready, the most urgent thing is to figure out how to use it to fight against the Crown Prince and save the current situation."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, looked at Fang Xuanling, and asked: "Mr. Fang has always been resourceful and well versed in military tactics. In your opinion, how should this Thunderbolt be deployed?"

Fang Xuanling pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, the power of Thunderbolt Fire is extremely powerful and can be used as a key weapon to intimidate the enemy. The prince has his own troops and has won many battles with the advantage of artillery. His morale is high. If our army can make good use of Thunderbolt Fire, we will be able to blunt his edge."

"I think we can secretly set this fire at strategic locations such as Tongguan and Hulaoguan, and wait for the prince's army to attack, and then take them by surprise and strike them hard."

Upon hearing this, Chu Suiliang immediately agreed, "Your Majesty, what Prime Minister Fang said is absolutely right. However, the use of Thunderbolt Fire must be extremely cautious, and its power and quantity must not be easily leaked. I suggest that when the enemy army attacks, we should first use a small amount of Thunderbolt Fire to test it, observe the response of the prince's army, and then wait for an opportunity to move and gradually expand the results of the battle." Li Shimin frowned slightly, "The rebellious son is meticulous, and he has good generals such as Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui under his command. If our army acts rashly, he may find out."

"Wuji, what do you think?"

Chang Sun Wuji said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I think we can use the strategy of making a feint to the east and attacking the west. On the one hand, we pretend to increase the defense of Tongguan, and lure the main force of the prince's army to attack."

"Also, secretly send elite soldiers with thunderbolts to attack the flanks or rear of the prince's army and disrupt their formation. Once their formation is in disarray, our army will launch a general attack from the front and will surely win a great victory."

After a brief pause, Changsun Wuji suggested again: "Your Majesty, perhaps you can announce the successful development of this Thunderbolt Fire to the world."

"The prince's army relies on the power of firearms, and their morale is high. If the news that our army also has Thunderbolt Fire is spread out, it will surely cause great chaos in their army's morale."

Fang Xuanling also nodded in agreement: "This is a brilliant move. After the news spreads to the world, the people in the prince's army will be in a panic, and our army will definitely be able to gain the upper hand."

"But when announcing it, we must also be careful and emphasize that this is the result of the Tang Dynasty following the will of heaven, to demonstrate your majesty's wisdom and let the people know that the prince's rebellion will not be supported by heaven."

Chu Suiliang thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, you can announce it to the world by posting court bulletins at post stations in various places, and at the same time, let the officials of various prefectures publicize it in the market."

"Also send eloquent men from the court to the towns near the Prince's army to spread the news among the people. This way, the news can reach the ears of the Prince's army faster and more widely."

Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "According to what you said, this matter must be implemented as soon as possible. We must let that rebellious son and his subordinates know that our Tang Dynasty will not be easily shaken by him."

Li Shimin's mood is much better now.

He also has Thunderbolt, which is no longer exclusive to rebellious sons.

"His Majesty."

Zhang Sun Wuji hesitated a little: "The prince's army has powerful artillery. Although our army has Thunderbolt, we are afraid of suffering heavy losses if we confront them head on."

This Thunderbolt is far inferior to the prince's ability.

What's more, the prince is using cannons.

Changsun Wuji was worried that with this thunder fire, the imperial army would become arrogant.

Li Shimin nodded and said, "I will remind Lord Li Wei."

As for Li Jing, Li Shimin still believed in his strength.
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Li Shimin was ready to announce the news of his development of Thunderfire to the world.

Although it hasn't even started yet, the Five Surnames and Seven Families naturally already knew about it.

Who hasn't been coveting the prince's Thunderbolt?

They immediately united and conspired to get the formula of Thunderbolt.

"That's Thunderbolt. We have helped King Wei so much over the years, so we should charge him some interest now."

"Yes, the King of Wei would never refuse our small request."

"But, can the King of Wei get it?"

"Your Majesty, didn't you let the King of Wei be in charge of the Gunpowder Department? We only need a rough recipe and our people can make it."

"Who will tell this matter?"

"You must be Mr. Cui."

Cui Shengyu had no choice but to agree.

Firstly, he had a good relationship with the King of Wei, and secondly, the Cui of Qinghe was the leader of the Five Surnames and Seven Families.

So Cui Shengyu couldn't refuse this matter.

The next day, Cui Shengyu wore a black brocade robe, a jade pendant on his waist, and rode in a gorgeously decorated carriage to the Prince of Wei's Palace.

The carriage slowly stopped, Cui Shengyu got off, looked up at the gate of the mansion, took a deep breath, and walked in steadily.

Li Tai was playing with a glass cup that was tributed from the Western Regions in the garden. When he heard Cui Shengyu asked to see him, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

He naturally guessed the purpose of Cui Shengyu's visit.

Cui Shengyu stepped into the garden, bowed, and put on a perfect smile on his face: "Greetings, King Wei."

Li Tai put down the glass cup, stood up to greet him, and looked at Cui Shengyu: "Mr. Cui, you are too polite. There is no need for us to be so polite. Please sit down and talk. I wonder what Mr. Cui wants to do?"

The two sat down at the stone table, and the servant served them fragrant tea. Cui Shengyu took a sip, put down the teacup, and said, "The situation in the court is very turbulent now. The Crown Prince and His Majesty are in confrontation, and all parties are ready to make a move. The King of Wei has always had great ambitions, so he must not want to miss this opportunity of change, right?"

Li Tai heard this, his eyes flashed a gleam, but he pretended to be indifferent: "Mr. Cui is right, but the situation is complicated. Although I have ambitions, I must act cautiously. I wonder what Mr. Cui thinks?"

Cui Shengyu leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "Your Highness, to be honest, I want to ask for something."

"The King of Wei is in charge of the Gunpowder Department. He must know how powerful the Thunderbolt Fire is."

"If the King of Wei can help us, please give us the formula. If the King of Wei needs anything in the future, we, the Five Surnames and Seven Families, will definitely give you our full support."

Li Tai's face changed slightly, his brows furrowed, and he pondered for a moment: "Master Cui, this matter is of great importance. The Thunderbolt Fire is a treasure that my father regards as a treasure, and it is strictly guarded. Although I am in charge of the Gunpowder Department, I cannot easily obtain the formula. If it is leaked and my father knows about it, I will be blamed for it."

Cui Shengyu's heart tightened, but he remained calm: "We naturally know that this matter is extremely risky."

"But please think about it, King Wei. If we can control the formula of Thunderbolt Fire, we can use the financial and material resources of our Five Clans and Seven Families to produce a large amount of Thunderbolt Fire and then secretly support King Wei."

"When the time is right, King Wei can rely on this to fight for the throne. Wouldn't that greatly increase his chances of winning?"

"And we will act carefully and never let Your Majesty notice anything."

Li Tai was shaken, his eyes flickered, and he tapped the stone table with his fingers: "Mr. Cui, although what you said makes sense, I still have some concerns. If the matter is exposed, not only will my future be ruined, but it will also implicate the Five Surnames and Seven Families."

Cui Shengyu saw that Li Tai was somewhat relenting, so he struck while the iron was hot: "King of Wei, this opportunity cannot be missed. Now the Crown Prince has his own army and has repeatedly won victories with his artillery. If Your Majesty cannot check and balance him as soon as possible, the situation may be unfavorable to Your Majesty. If the King of Wei can make great contributions at this time and relieve Your Majesty's worries, Your Majesty will definitely look at the King of Wei differently."

Li Tai fell into deep thought and remained silent for a long time.

Cui Shengyu waited quietly.

Finally, Li Tai raised his head, his eyes showing a trace of determination: "Mr. Cui, this matter is too risky, I need to think carefully. Tomorrow, you come here again, and I will give you an answer."

Cui Shengyu stood up and saluted: "Then I will wait for the good news from the King of Wei."

At this point, things have already been accomplished.

Cui Shengyu knew that King Wei had no way of refusing.

The current King of Wei is not the Crown Prince yet.

The Five Surnames and Seven Families have given so much support to King Wei over the years. If they don't even agree to this, then what is there to talk about in the future?

Of course, Li Tai was not completely controlled by the Five Surnames and Seven Families.

Because the Five Surnames and Seven Families had no choice but to support him.

Under the suppression of His Majesty, the Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats also hoped to have more status in the court.

The reason why Li Tai delayed until the next day was that he wanted to take this opportunity to gain more benefits.

The next day.

Li Shimin announced the news of the development of Thunderfire to the world.

Li Shimin also considered whether the formula of Thunderbolt would be leaked.

The first was to closely monitor the Gunpowder Department.

In addition, Thunderbolt Fire was directly listed as a banned item by the imperial court, just like armor. Anyone who privately kept or made it would be subject to the death penalty.

Moreover, saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal were all listed as government monopolies and private individuals were not allowed to sell them.

Even if it cannot be completely eliminated, the extent of leakage of the Thunderbolt formula can be minimized.

the other side.

When Li Jing was regrouping, he heard the news that the imperial court had developed Thunderbolt Fire.

Inform the army immediately.

The soldiers couldn't tell the difference between thunderbolts and artillery.

But what they knew was that they also had the means to cause the earth to shake and collapse.

Naturally, the morale of the troops was boosted.

(End of this chapter)